Somerville Department of Racial & Social Justice to Launch Community Visioning Sessions and Survey to Reimagine Policing and Public Safety

The City of Somerville’s Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) Department continues community outreach to drive the initiative of reimagining policing and public safety across the city. A series of in-person and virtual community visioning sessions are being held to better understand the perceptions of policing and public safety in Somerville neighborhoods. In addition, the RSJ Department is launching a Reimagining Policing and Public Safety survey. Both the community visioning sessions and the survey are designed to gather critical information from people who live or work in Somerville and will be made available in six different languages.

“Every Somerville resident, worker, and visitor has a right to feel safe in their community, and this process is a vital step in making sure each of us has an opportunity to help inform what safety means and how it should be achieved,” said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. “We make the best progress the more we listen to community voices, and I look forward to the important ideas, feedback, concerns, and vision that will be shared so we can chart a community-driven path forward.”

“The RSJ Department is dedicated to empowering participation from our Somerville community. Amplifying constituent voices throughout this process ensures that their needs are taken into account in our decision-making,” said RSJ Director Denise Molina Capers. “ I hope people take this opportunity to engage with us and make sure their voices are heard.”

All are welcome, and youth participation is encouraged. The experiences and ideas shared will be used to inform the work of the RSJ Department and the design of recommendations to Mayor Ballantyne.

The RSJ Department will be doing targeted outreach through various outlets to seek broad and diverse participation. Materials will be made available online, at high foot-traffic locations throughout the city, through door knocking, and tabling at events throughout the Fall.

For more information visit www.somervillema.gov/rsj.

To access the survey please visit the link below in your preferred language. 

• English: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MzHkAf9jvaUtISDZfoDxV75NaKbIjJ6UU6zd-JXCpR0/edit?usp=drive_web
• Spanish: ES Reimagining Policing and Public Safety Survey - Google Forms
• Portuguese: PT Reimagining Policing and Public Safety Survey - Google Forms
• Chinese: Chinese Reimagining Policing and Public Safety Survey - Google Forms
• Haitain-Creole: HT Reimagining Policing and Public Safety Survey - Google Forms 
• Nepali: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1F52VDnSaJv9vZmQbOQGOaIgHMiYipo6BIxYHySZa2i0/edit?usp=drive_web

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.
Contact: rsj@somervillema.gov / call or text 617-684-5060